Paper-crinkling machine



Jan. 3, 1928.

. 1,654,656 w. A. LORENZ PAPER CRINKLING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1920 i' 1o i 1 I 5 .3 35 20 H J11 II i 19 ,2 :J L u 3 fmjenzor VVZ'ZZz'amALorenz. J5

L UNITED ST tionai 'y vacuum box placed at theintake side,

Patented J an; I 3, 1928.

1,654,656 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM .A. LORENZ or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE oTAK FABRIC COMPANY, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or CONNECTICUT;

' PAPER-CRTNKLING MACHINE.

Application filed June 15, 1920. Serial in. 389,078.

This invention relates to' machines for crinkling paper.

My pending application No. 346,310,, filed December 20, 1919, discloses certain features which are embodied in the present apphca tion.

The paper to be crinkled is led around a rotating drum, 'and is held firmly thereon by the aid of atmospheric pressure. For this purpose, a partial vacuum the paper and the surface of the drum.

' This is, accomplished by the use of a staofthe rotating drum. This box has an air intake which projects between the incoming paper web and the drum, to partially "exhaust the air between the web and the drum, so that atmospheric pressure pinches the web to the drum or cylinder. The leading edge of the web is advanced against a doctor blade and is stripped thereby from the drum, the paper becoming transversely crinkled by the doctor blade. Atmospheric pressure aids in causing the paper-to adhere firmly to the drum, thus improving the efficiency of'the crinkling device. i

Means may be prov ded for dampening the paper,'if desired, upon either one or both sides, preparatory to running it over the drum.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a-plan of one form of a machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, taken at about the line 2-2, Flgure 1. t

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial section at the delivery side of the drum, taken at about the line 33 of Figure v1. This view also shows the vacuum-box'in cross-section.

The web to be crinkled may be led (pref erably in dry condition) from a supply spool 10, rotation of which may be retarded or regulated by a brake device comprising an inclined strap '11 suspended vfrom a fixture 12, and pulled down by a weight 13. The web may be led up over a guide roll 11 and down to a drum l5,which is of relatively large diameter, and may be driven by a pulley 16, having a, pinion 17 in mesh with a gear 18 fixed to the drum.

To aid in causing the web to. cling to thedrum and advance therewith, there is prois created between air from between the .web and drum, so that the.web is held against the cylinder by atmospheric pressure. For this purpose, there is preferably employed a stationary vacuum-box orexhauster 19, from which air is drawn through a pipe 20. The vacuumbox is stationary, and is open only upon its under side. This under side may conform to the curvature of the drum, so that the latter, although revolving, may substantially close the-box, so as to enable a partial vacuum to be created "within the box. The ends of the box are indicated at 21, and the front side at 22. The rear side may be in the form of a doctor blade 23, which is held by bolts 24 upon a flange provided on the box; the whole fitting closely 'to the surface of the drum, so as to minimize leakage of air into the box, which extends from thedntroductory side to the'deliveryside of the drum. The front side of the box is extended at 26 far down into the angle formed by the incoming web with the surface of the rotating drum,

'* between the web and the drum. Hence, ex-

haustion of air from the box produces a partial vacuum between the webv and the drum 15, so that the advancing web is at mospherically pressed at all points against the drum. The vacuum persists between the paper and the drum all the way around the drum. Thus, the atmosphere may maintain a firm control over the web until it is stripped from the cylinder. The pressure exerted by the atmosphere and the force of ,a feed-roll 31 may be relied upon to urge or force the leading portion of the advancing web edgewise against the stationary doctor blade 23, to enable the latter to strip the web from the cylinder by a crimping action, so that the Web is crimped or crinkled'as at 29.

The crimped paper emerges over the powerdriven delivery rolls or belts 30.

The pressure roll 31 at the delivery side of the drum'may have a soft rubber face and may be driven either by gearing or face contact with the drum or the paper thereon, and may have suitable springs or pressure devices 32 provided with individual regulating means 33. The vacuum which is maintained in the box during the crimping crimpled.

operation may be varied, according to the thickness, or quality of the paper to be In some cases it is desirable to moisten the paper slightly, and this may be done either by use of steam or by means-of atomizer devices, arranged at either side of- There is illusface of the doctor blade more or less abrupt.

Variations in the crimping may also be produced by varying the degree of vacuum in the vacuum-box, so as to cause the atmosphere to hold the web more or lessel'osely to the drum or cylinder 15, and urge it with more or less force against the doctor blade, which bears upon the surface of the cylinder. It will not be usuallydesirable to take the preliminary step of dipping the paper into a saturating water bath, with liability to weaken the paper permanently, The pressure roll 31 may also serve tov press out surplus water from the moistened or wet paper, and cause it to adhere smoothly to the surface of the drum.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the-invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination of a supply-roll, a

brake therefor, aguide-r011 over which a web is led from the supply-roll, a main cylinder, means for exhausting air between the web and the main cylinder, to cause the atmosphere to press the web against the cylinder, said exhausting means comprising a vacuum box having a side which extends into the bight of said'cylinder and the web, a doctor blade mounted at the delivery side of said cylinder and forming a part of said vacuum box, a. feeding-roll running upon the delivery side of the main cylinder, and having an elastic surfa-ce,said doctor blade at an angle, to hold back the advancing paper and crinkle it, and means for dampening the paper on both sides preparatory to.

and means for exhausting air from between the web and the drum, said exhausting means comprising a vacuum box having a side which extends into the bight of the cylinder and the web at the point at which the web is delivered onto the cylinder, said box having a doctor blade cooperating with said cylinder.

WILLIAM ALORENZ 

